This invention relates generally to removal of the naturally occurring outer protective layer from food, vegetables, fruits, and other edible material. More particularly, the invention concerns a process wherein a suitably powered continuous wave, carbon dioxide laser beam is used to vaporize the surface layer or layers from food, fruits, vegetable matter or edible material.
There are a large number of situations in the food processing industry where one step in the process involves removing the thin, naturally-occurring outer protective layer from a large number of items. Typically, the one step is part of a more involved process. Such a process might be canning, for example, by which the food is preserved for transportation and marketing in preserved form. Another process might involve subsequent slicing, or cooking, or the like.
There are, of course, a large number of particular foodstuffs for which the present process of removing the thin, naturally-occurring outer protective layer is applicable. Some typical examples will now be discussed in greater detail.